Brian Michael Bendis

Secret Invasion is the Marvel event that made paranoia the plot. Brian Michael Bendis spent years seeding Skrull replacements across the Avengers titles before the full infiltration exploded into a line-wide crossover. The premise — any hero could be a Skrull — destabilized reader trust in every character simultaneously. Collects the core Secret Invasion #1–8 limited series, plus key tie-in issues from New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, and the Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? one-shot.

Avengers vs. X-Men Omnibus — the Phoenix Force returns to Earth and splits the Marvel universe. Captain America vs. Cyclops, the Phoenix Five transform the world, Hope Summers as the chosen one. The event that changed everything. Avengers vs. X-Men #0-12 plus AVX: VS #1-6 and AvX Consequences #1-5 collected in the complete omnibus. The Phoenix Force returns to Earth targeting Hope Summers — Captain America demands she be handed over, Cyclops refuses. Twelve issues of Marvel's biggest superhero war: the Avengers fighting the Phoenix Five (Cyclops, Emma, Namor, Colossus, Magik with Phoenix power). Ends with Cyclops in prison and the mutant population beginning to rise again. The event that launched the All-New Marvel NOW era.

Civil War from the perspective of the underground Avengers: the team divided and holed up in secret, living in illegality, doubting if they did the right thing. Perfect setup for Secret Invasion. It's Bendis at his most intimate, and central reading to follow the logic of Marvel 2006-2010. Art by Leinil Yu.

After Avengers Disassembled, Bendis relaunches the title with a heterodox roster (Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Woman) and turns the Avengers into Marvel's most commercial team. Beginning of a decade of Bendis domination of the title: Civil War, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign and Siege start here. David Finch on art.